Chasing Sunsets
by iamincendiary
Summary: Four years after the Dark Lord won the war, muggle-born witches and wizards are hunted and sold to the highest bidder. Voldemort's trackers are determined to capture the most sought after mudblood in all of the wizarding world – Hermione Granger. (Rated T for now. It may be changed to M in later chapters; DMHG)
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Hermione Granger loved winter. She found it beautiful how the world would gradually fall into a deep and icy slumber only to awake with a different kind of beauty come spring. She loved how snow sparkled as it fell from the sky. She also found it relaxing to listen to the solid crunch of her winter boots against the snow. She had also looked forward to the strangely comforting serenity winter brought with its unvarnished beauty.

But now, times have changed. The wizarding world she knew had died with her best friend.

Ever since Voldemort defeated Harry Potter, winter - like everything she has grown to love in the wizarding world - no longer holds any of its magical splendor. Now, she can only feel the icy sting of every snowflake on her blotched skin. She fails to appreciate the sound of her withered boots against the snow-covered ground. She no longer sees a peaceful landscape, but only a frigid and bitter mistress.

Now that Voldemort is at the seat of power, all muggle-born witches and wizards have been hunted down to meet dark fates. A few are shown mercy and killed outright, while some are kept alive only to be brutalized and tortured. Most are auctioned off to the highest bidder to do their pureblood master's bidding. With the fear of this fate, muggle-borns were forced into hiding from the Dark Lord's evil clutches.

During the four winters that passed since Harry Potter's death, Hermione lost everything… her life, her friends, and her freedom. Now, she exists in a sinister world where her kind is treated worse than beasts. She had no other choice but to run and hide until she reunites with the surviving members of the Order of the Phoenix to continue what they started and avenge Harry's death. For what seemed like the millionth time, Hermione willed herself not to think about Harry. She knew that if Harry were still alive, he wouldn't want her worrying about something that can no longer be undone. He would want her to survive and continue fighting for their cause. And she will. For him.

For the meantime, she will wait in the shadows and hope against all hope that Voldemort's trackers wouldn't find her.


	2. Chapter 1: Survival

Chapter 1: Survival

Hermione doubts her tattered cloak is enough to shield her from the freezing December breeze. Examining her companions, their shoulders slumped from exhaustion, she also doubts their clothes provide them with much needed protection from the harsh environment.

They have been walking in the snow for almost two days, with little to no rest in between. All of them hoping that they'll soon find a safe place to spend the night before they continued their journey. They need to find a sanctuary and they need to do it fast lest the frost kills them before the trackers do.

This is their life now.

A seemingly never-ending cycle of running and hiding from Voldemort's cronies, hoping against all hope that they will not get captured.

There are times when Hermione just wants it all to end, thinking that death is better than this nightmare of a life. However, as she looks at the three shivering figures walking ahead of her, she remembers why she keeps going.

 _They need me._ Hermione thought as she as she squinted into the fading light, looking at her companions. _I have to survive for all of them._

For four years, Hermione has made it her life's purpose to protect these girls. She still remembers, with vivid clarity, how she crossed paths with each of them… each of their stories more heartbreaking than the next.

Hermione met with Romilda Vane first.

In their years at Hogwarts, Romilda was the only girl with wild curls that can rival Hermione's. Hermione even remembers being slightly envious Romilda's beautiful onyx eyes that always glinted with cheer and confidence. Unfortunately, after the Death Eaters burnt the Vane family home, leaving Romilda as the last surviving member of her family, now one can only see misery reflected in her dark orbs. It was during the second winter of Voldemort's reign that she saw Romilda again. They were both disguised and hiding in a muggle village outside of London. Hermione was working as an aide at the local hospital, while Romilda as a waitress. When Death Eaters came to verify reports that a couple of mudbloods are taking refuge in that village, Hermione and Romilda had no other choice but to flee. They have been inseparable ever since.

Hermione and Romilda came across Amelia next.

While they were foraging for food one early morning, they saw two men throw what seems to be a woman's body into a ravine. Careful not to be seen, they waited until the men were gone before they darted towards where the body was thrown. Hermione will never forget how her stomach lurched at the sight the bare and bruised body. The woman's skin is almost as deathly pale as her platinum blonde hair. Romilda tentatively reached for her wrist to find a pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when she felt a faint one. With much effort, Romilda and Hermione carried the woman to their shanty hidden deep within the woods. Days later, after helping the woman recover, they found out that her name is Amelia, a muggle-born witch, whose entire family was sold to a wealthy pureblood. She wouldn't talk much about the details of her captivity, but Hermione knew that among the three of them, Amelia suffered the most physically and emotionally. From the stories Amelia would rarely share, the two older witches concluded that Amelia saw her family suffer and die, one by one, at the hands of their merciless master.

Not long after they saw Amelia, the young women had another unexpected addition to their pack. It was on Christmas day during Voldemort's third year in supremacy when they found little Scarlet, whimpering and scared in the woods. Hermione guesses that she must be a little over 6 years old. They repeatedly asked for her name, her age, her home, and her parents… but she would only stare at them blankly and then cry. They stopped asking questions after the 24th time. They had no idea what Scarlet's real name was so they only dubbed her as such because of the rich scarlet coat she was wearing when they found her. The older witches couldn't even imagine what this poor girl might have seen or experienced to be traumatized into silence.

Hermione has an inkling that Scarlet is from the muggle village ravaged by Death Eaters days before they found her. She must have instinctively run away from the chaos, scared and not knowing where to go, only to get lost in the woods. A year has passed since they found Scarlet and she still has not spoken a single word. She would only nod or shake her head when asked questions. On special days, Scarlet would give Hermione and the girls a shy smile, a welcome development from her blank stares and tears.

Hermione is disturbed from her reminiscence as Romilda said, "The sun is setting faster than I had hoped."

"Let's quicken our pace and take advantage of what little sunlight we have left. We have to cover as much ground as possible before we rest for the night." Hermione replied as she scanned their surroundings. All she can see are rocks, the bleak white snow, and a thick line of trees in the distance.

Winter is the most unforgiving season for fugitives like them. Not only is it more difficult to forage or hunt for food, it is also more challenging to cover their tracks. Because in the stark white terrain, they stand out like a sore thumb. There are rare moments when Hermione doesn't even worry about being caught by Voldemort's trackers because she is too busy thinking about more imminent dangers... like frostbite, wolves, and hunger.

Unfortunately, the threat of capture is always looming.

With every year that passes, it becomes harder and harder to hide from the trackers. Their raids are more frequent. Their attacks are more violent. It is as if the trackers are in this rabid hunt for a commodity quickly running low on supply.

By the time they made their way to the thick line of trees, the sun has completely set. With only the soft glow of the moonlight making its way through the canopy of leaves as their guide, the four witches walked deeper into the woods to look for a safer place to rest. They set up camp in a small sunken nook nestled among the intertwining roots of two pine trees.

Hermione sighed as she sat down, leaning her head in exhaustion on the exposed roots. She placed her rucksack on her lap to make a quick inventory of its contents. Inside are shabby clothes, a loaf of stale bread, three apples, two packets of muggle medicine, a half full jug of water, a cracked flint, a knife, and her wand.

She examined her companions once again. Their complexion has taken a greyish tone. Hermione hopes that is was only because of the moonlight that their skin looked so pale… but she knew better. They were all cold, exhausted, and hungry.

She hopes she could still use her wand, if only to cast a simple _Incendio_ for warmth, she thought as she ran her fingers across its handle. Hermione quickly struck the thought down. It would be dangerous. Not only will fire and smoke alert anyone nearby of their presence, it will also alert the trackers of their whereabouts if she uses her wand.

Upon winning, Voldemort made sure that all wands in the wizarding world were marked and tagged. That way, he would know the owner of each wand. He also had every wand charmed with dark magic so powerful that it enables him to know all spells cast and where each spell was performed.

Looking down at her wand, she wonders when she will be free to use it again. The ability to summon food, make fire, cast a disillusionment charm… magic was literally at the palm of her hand. But thanks to Voldemort and his trackers, her wand is rendered useless. It used to hold so much power. Now, it is nothing but a trinket from a life she once lived. With a sad smile, she lovingly placed her wand inside her rucksack. She then took the apples and handed one to the each of the girls, leaving nothing for her.

"What about you?" Amelia asked, as she looked at the apple.

"I'm alright. I'm not that hungry." Hermione replied. The rumble in her stomach belied her words.

Amelia gave Hermione a knowing smile and reached for a knife. She cut her apple into four slices. Romilda and Scarlet followed suit. They all gave Hermione a quarter of their apple.

"You're not the best liar, Hermione. You know it!" Romilda laughed while biting into the juicy apple.

"And we have to feed that loud stomach of yours! I'm afraid if it rumbles like that again, the trackers will find us!" The blonde beside Hermione added in jest.

They laughed. Forgetting, even for a few seconds, that the whole world is out to get them. Even little Scarlet let out a shy giggle. They ate the apples slowly… relishing its sweetness. Hermione is not sure when their next proper meal is going to be – that is, if they'd even have another. Hermione hopes that a muggle village is near. They won't survive much longer in the cold with only half a jug of water and a loaf of bread.

Minutes after their meager supper, Hermione noticed that the girls had already fallen asleep, huddled in the small space and basking in each other's warmth. She thanks the high heavens for meeting these girls. Her everyday struggle in Voldemort's world somehow became more tolerable after she had meet each of them. Hermione prays that she be given more strength, if only to protect these girls.

She looked at their surroundings and saw only trees and rocks. Satisfied that they are safe for the night, Hermione closed her eyes and let exhaustion take her.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Unknown to the four sleeping figures below, a dark figure with a pair of icy blue eyes has been watching them from a distance.

"Did you see anyone out there?", a man asked, voice slightly muffled by his thick beard.

The dark figure stood from his perch, straightened his impeccable black cloak, and walked towards his companion to look at him squarely in the eyes.

As icy blues met a pair of greens, Draco Malfoy said, "I saw no one."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Did you like this chapter? Please review and tell me your thoughts :)

I will update as soon as I can. Thank you for reading!


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